'88-'99 LED Tail Lights On A Budget.

[Joe In Montana]

My 1989 stock Chevy tail lights are pretty puny - at least in sunshine and at odd off angle viewing. [Sorry - no picture]

I saw how weak they were when I stopped last winter snow to winch a Ford out of the ditch in front of a restaurant (501 drove into area that was NOT the driveway of KFC). My 4-ways were blinking but they were sure weak! [I didn't take any pictures of that - so that's one of those 'your imagination is your best friend' - type thing].

I know that many of the aftermarket LED systems are not approved for highway use, so I thought that I was kinda screwed and had to stick with what I had.

Fast forward to last week when my 'buddy' backed MY trailer into MY wall of MY shop and ruined MY LED trailer lights. He got me a new set, so that's OK -- and I kinda stuck the broken units in a box and forgot about them for a month or two.

Guess what? The old broken ones fit cutting here: [oops! no picture] and here: [oopsies again!] by judiciously adjusting with an oscillating sander - BUT don't cut these wires in the matrix [not here either] or this way in a pinch. [guess!] and with some hot glue and a little solder and some heat shrink - [there WOULD be a picture here - but] - they fit just fine and they really update the lights into at least the 19th Century instead of a Zippo lighter flickering behind some red cellophane. [there would be a BEFORE AND AFTER picture here too - but - you know]

Here's the HF taillights that I used [there would be a picture here too - but] at least, [and I gotta play fair here] here's the link anyway: : http://www.harborfreight.com/led-trailer-light-kit-62488.html

It's a really decent, if cheap upgrade and you get to keep the pretty amber side markers and a lot of wire and connex for another project. [you gotta know by now!]

Be careful about the side markers though - they MIGHT be regular incandescent and not LEDs. HF does some bean-counting sometimes and parts design varies moment to moment. [picture example of that is also missing]

You do not need lights for either under 80" or over 80" trailers, as the only thing you're gonna need is the LEDs from the actual rear side of the lights. Whether they have LED red sided markers or not is kind of a bummer, as they don't seem to follow much logic in the design... [you will go blind looking for a pix of that here!] which I've already stated changes from moment to moment. Just look carefully and count the actual LEDs in the description of the product.

I guess I cannot post pixs of this installation b/o not being a Premium Member. I've never had to join any other forum and drop money to post pictures. This is new to me. I guess it keeps the old dogs like me out.

That's too bad --- but I will give anyone a tour of the whole installation - in MY garage - at MY house - on MY schedule - with YOUR six-pack of Mexican beer. There will be no charge other than the beer. You can take all the FREE pictures you want if you like - and like I said: "No Charge".

I'll hold free seminars on that process too - I work for beer. Pictures are free. I think I said that though.

Oh yeah - buff out the plastic stock lenses with this product [uh, going-blind-time again] to get them looking like this: [Wait - I can't post pictures about that either. D@mn!]

 

[dhcomp]

The membership thing at first sounds kinda silly, but it let's these guys maintain the best site of its kind on the internet.

I have saved my membership in repairs and parts 100x over in the last few....(probably 15 now) years

 

[Joe In Montana]

The membership thing at first sounds kinda silly, but it let's these guys maintain the best site of its kind on the internet.

I have saved my membership in repairs and parts 100x over in the last few....(probably 15 now) years

Maybe so - and it's always good to glean facts to help avoid expenses like that.

I don't like any site trying to cash in on people who have information and can't help or post until they pay first. That's kinda backwards I feel.

This is never going to be considered as a primary site for publishing automotive and diesel information for me. I've had several auto shops and as such - and even in business - I just give free info and many times free repairs and parts out - which is the right thing to do.

That was PHILANTHROPY - when one is engaged in a business and give things out for free.

This site also feels like a business, which in no way looks like a 501 (c) 3 either. Somebody's making money.

I write tech articles for three other sites that have little to nothing to do with C-Ks, although they come up from time to time. I'll continue doing that - for free, again stated - because this is the way information is really shared.

However ---> I'll cruise by here from time to time and add what I can in the few places where posting is free (and is a dangling carrot on a string) to join in the conversation - but no way am I gonna pay to help anyone else here where specially monetized privileges are needed to disseminate experiences and knowledge.

BTW: I love Truckee.

Is The Walking Taco still on the Interstate next to the old high school? Mmmmm! Beer on tap!